Webs n Scales
by Empan12
Summary: Pajak is a simple man, you give him mail he carries a a simple woman, give her a beast and she slays it. Join the two on their adventure through tamriel, meeting all kinds of strange foes and characters as they try to end the world eater.


**AN: If there is a strange black background I'm sorry. I took the story from my wattpad account which is now called Cross-Writer20. Also if you're interested in beta reading this please send me a PM.**

Pajak always found that when something good went his way in life, it was always ruined shortly if not instantly afterwards. So when good fortune came his way in the form of a free border crossing, he started to worry, worries that became rationalized a couple minutes later he was arrested for allegedly participating in a military coup to throw out the empire from Skyrim.

As they stripped the young Cyrodilic man of his belongings he tried to use his silver tongue, which was more of a bismuth tongue, that didn't have any of its crystals or colors. All he had managed to do with his pleas of innocence was irritate his captor who rid him of his belongings even faster. The young was left with nothing but the rags he was given for clothes, it didn't help that it was cold enough to be snowing either.

Well at least the small insects won't be around in this type of climate, he thought as he was shoved onto the cart nearly filled with stormcloaks with only a single other non stormcloak on board. All of whom who smelt like blood, piss, and other filthy things. Making him glad that the air was cold, not amplifying the effects of their stench. Though cold hands reminded him how thin and loose the rags protected when they bound his hands behind his back.

Though before their convoy of prisoners started the trip to the nearest town. Pajak along with soldiers could hear the galloping of a horse, and all as far as he knew they weren't moving the carts yet. Then they came into view a majestic pecan colored stallion, with a mundane rider trying to out speed them.

"Stop! Right there or we'll fire!"

The man still kept riding on, increasing their distance by at least eight meters each second he rode on. The archers seeing as they weren't going to have a compliant man drew their bows, and with beforehand approval, fired three arrows at the man. The archers had precisions of hawks, even as the man over dozens of meters away they still managed to hit him, and only him. As he recoiled and cried in pain, he had let go of the saddle and hung over one of the sides a little too much before he fell off. A duo of troops had broken off quickly to intercept the man lest he tried running with his feet as well.

All the while during this commotion, not a single soul had noticed a spider dangling with its web right over the head of Pajak. Those that did when it had died down didn't care enough to tell him about it or do anything of it, those who'd care enough to warn him didn't see it until it had landed upon his neck. As he tried to raise his bound hands from his back to smash it with no avail, the arachnid had already bitten him, bestowing a wild throbbing pain in his neck. He started to lightly convulse, before he went limp in his seat, with that the spider jumped off of him. Some would have expressed concern, or tried to help had it not been for a gold and red armored captain ordering for them to move along.

As the carts started to make a trek that had man small bumps, one of the passenger's in Pajak's cart had concern for him that slightly rose and fell. Reasoning for which was the slight raising and lowering of his chest, indicating life. Oh it's not all bad luck eh, at least the milk drinker is still breathing, the woman across from him thought as she leaned back.

Ana watched as Pajak breath in and out, wondering if he'd even survive until they reached the city of Helgen, even if the trip wasn't very long. The wound that laid upon the side of his neck didn't seem to bleed much, if only a couple drops. Had it been a hardy Nord like herself to take this kind of wound she wouldn't care, trusting them to be tough enough to survive it, but Pajak was far from a hardy Nord.

The boy was a milk drinker for Talos sake, built like a twig and knocked out by a spider bite of all things! Well at least it didn't kill him, actually made that'd be better seeing as the raven haired man before her was twitching slightly and releasing mumbles of pain.

"Of all things to be knocked out by, he's knocked out by a small spider by that."

"Well it must've been a pretty strong poison. You can't judge something's power by their size alone lass."

Turning to the origin of the voice, she saw one of many people who were the reason she was on this cart instead of improving herself as a warrior. Sure she could understand why they'd start a civil war, but not that it affected her she started to care. Though the conversation she'd share with the soldier.

At best it would just obstruct her from learning to be one of the best swordsman in all of tamriel, at worst well she would've just wasted her time. Well maybe it'd help her if she landed in oblivion, fighting off hordes of daedra. Maybe she could earn her way to sovngarde doing that. So with that train of thought, Ana started to think about her personal fantasies.

Well that was until a couple hours later where a major bump in the road snapping both Pajak and Ana back into reality. Oh there a goes a little rabbity, the driver of their cart thought as he watched a rabbit run along the treeline. He didn't think much of it as he turned into the confines of Helgen's stone walls.

It's not cold anymore, was the first thing to come into Pajak's mind when he had regained consciousness. He didn't want to open his eyes though as he felt as though he was in the same apparel and legal state since before going to sleep, through the warmth on his eyelids helped comfort him. The constant yet comfortable shaking of his person however counteracted said calming, turning it into dread. Than it stopped, giving way to a calm, a dangerous calm.

Opening his eyes sunlight assaulted his optical organs, causing him to recoil. Maybe I should've spent more time in the sun, he thought as the imperial's shouted orders to all that occupied their carts. Upon exiting after his non soldier peer, they were met with a soldier holding a ledger with all the prisoners, well the stormcloak affiliated ones.

So for sake of timeliness, Pajak and Ana, along with their horse riding brother in bonds were put aside so all the stormcloaks could be registered first. Once they had been put into the ledger, it started, and here he realized his fate. Now all he could do was watch, watch as the stormcloaks were executed one by one. The man with the large cloak seemed more important than what he assumed to be regular soldiers, seeing as they bound his mouth and not anyone else's.

As he looked at the man with a gag in his mouth, he saw tears drip down the side of his face, accompanied with a determined glare. Over on a horse he saw the man in gold and red look over them with a neutral expression on his face, must've been par for the course. That was something Ana could accept. What she couldn't accept however was the newcomer that watched for the executions with a smug smile upon their face

Though as they executed the stormcloaks, the man who rode a horse here decided that he'd have none of it, and that he was innocent. Pajak looked over to him, and saw that he was going run, or try even with his wounds still closing. Well he tried, falling over in pain the first step. That had gotten the attention of the soldier who'd been ordering the order of which prisoners would go to the afterlife would.

"Bring him to the chopping block, we're starting with the other criminals. Make sure he doesn't escape."

So soldiers with what looked like a perfected motion brought him up and put him down below the executioner's axe. The equestrian affiliated man cried out for his innocence, yet they paid no heed. For the only response he was given was a faint thunderous boom, one that shook even the people at Helgen.

"Legate, I think we best postpone the execution." The man with the ledger said with a certain concern lacing his voice.

"Next prisoner."

"But the axe coul-"

"Next. Prisoner, or so help me Hadvar, you'll be fighting at every front in North Shore and Winterhold."

"Well I'm sorry eh." That felt directed towards him, Pajak thought as panic started to rise within him. No no no he must be mistaken, well when the hand on his back pushed him towards executioner's block he felt as though he was going to have a bad day, well a worse one. He did start getting a headache in the back of his head, he was going to get his head removed after all.

Ana watched from a short distance away as Pajak was put onto the chopping block. Noting that he seemed, different. It felt like the man was more muscular than before for some reason, but she couldn't quite tell why it was the case. Well not like it matters now, she thought as she watched the axeman raise his axe.

Than from the heavens themselves, it came down upon them. It looked like it came right out of a legend itself, scales black as oblivion knit together like a wall of shields so close that no air can pass through and that nothing should part it. Flames shot out from its burning into the sky and the souls of men. The beast had leat out a cry as if commanding the sky itself, and the sy obeyed. Bringing the grim reaper upon the town of Helgen in the form of falling stones that would do more damage than siege engine could hope to achieve.

Looking at the beast Ana three things upon seeing the beast, fear, wonderment, and a desire to be the one that'd slay such a wonderful beast. As she looked back towards the remaining stormcloaks she saw that a few had freed themselves while the imperials went like a machine in a desperate struggle to save the town.

"Everyone to the tower! C'mon it's safe there!"

The shout was barely audible over all the chaos, but the message was loud and clear. With that she ran, and smashed herself against the closed door. It wouldn't have none of that though and stood true to its purpose even in times of peril. So she was glad when the stormcloak opened the door allowing her passage into the tower's stone confines, along with the other escapees.

As she sat down and looked at the other stormcloaks it made her wonder, how did they get free of their bonds. That was until the stormcloak on her cart who didn't have a mouth gag showed up with an iron dagger in hand. Well he works rather fast, she thought seeing that the remaining prisoners that lived were already unbound.

"Oi lass, get up so I can cut you free."

"So how'd you get free in such a short amount of time?" The only response she got was freedom and a shrug from the man.

"What you think I'm gonna walk like a turtle when my life's on the line?"


End file.
